Tag: profile

A creative genius is impossible to stop. One of the most respected hair stylists known today, Marcus Williams, was raised from the most unlikely of places: the suburbs of Delaware County. Since he was a teenager, he has had an uncanny passion for cutting hair. At the early age of 14, his siblings and relatives recognized his natural talent and began to allow him to cut their hair. Soon after, through word of mouth, his customer base expanded to his high school friends and his hobby bloomed into a full-fledged dream for a career in hair styling.

Everyone looks good in black. The shade is slimming, chic and glamorous — all in one color. As Coco Chanel once said, “Black has it all. [Its] beauty is absolute. It is the perfect harmony.” Monochrome has the world scrambling to piece together minimalist outfits and the brand Black Wednesday was created as the embodiment of this trend. Designers Diana Bader and Lindsay Leichner founded Black Wednesday in 2011 “to bring [their] wildest fantasies to life.” According to fashion, food and entertainment website DailyCandy, Black Wednesday seems to be inspired by the girl child of Morticia and Gomez Addams. The brand takes basic pieces such as crop tops, maxi dresses and skirts to a whole new level using unconventional, sleek silhouettes and a variety of textures. Ranging from statement pieces such as the Semi-Precious Dress (a backless mesh number) to quality basics such as the Illicit Pant, Black Wednesday is a contemporary twist on gothic fashion. Their locally-made creations can be found at Urban Outfitters, Dolls Kill and Edge of Urge, as well as Kiki Hughes and the Geisha House located on North 3rd Street.

In popular culture, the celebrity and fashion stylist has become as influential and well known as the A-list movie stars and name-brand clientele that employ them. From Rachel Zoe to celebrity favorite Petra Flannery, the newfound spotlight on stylists has inspired a new generation of young people to pursue the highly creative career. While it may seem easy to coordinate an outfit for a living, breaking into the industry can be difficult for just-graduated students with big dreams. Recently, I had the opportunity to volunteer for a Teen Vogue Homecoming event partnered with Macy’s, where I was introduced to freelance stylist Tavaris Neal. He allowed me to get the inside scoop about internships, career advice and his favorite trends for winter.